Cigar Holders
In this culture, unlike many, we do not have the custom of holding objects for pleasure or as part of meditation. Objects that rest easily in the hand are very satisfying - especially those made of precious materials and used in a ritualized fashion.
In looking for a culturally relevant object that might spend some time in the hand of the user, I thought of the cigar holder. Of course, you can easily find those small black plastic mouthpieces or slightly better ones made out of plain turned wood, but it's much more difficult to find a cigar holder that is of heirloom quality. I sought to change all that.
I came up with the idea of making cigar holders because I wanted to make pieces that were based purely on form-related ideas, and not something that would be hung or wrapped around a part of the body.
My pieces are all made out of centuries or millennia-old ivory or fine briarwood. They are inlaid with 24-karat gold, platinum, and gemstones. The gemstones are all backed with platinum to reflect back as much brilliance of the stone as possible. They each take about a month and a half to complete.
